Lucas POV

I gasped for air as I came to, my body searing with pain. The first thing I noticed was the rough, uneven earth beneath me. A crater surrounded me.

My crash site, basically.

The golden explosion had flung me far, burning everything off me in the process. My armor, my clothes, even the mask, it was all gone. I coughed violently, blood spilling onto the dirt. My hands glowed faintly as I cast a healing spell on myself, stitching up the internal damage. But the moment the spell ended, I coughed even harder, expelling more blood and whatever impurities had seeped into my system.

My body handled it better than most would, thanks to being a hero, but I didn't care.

None of that mattered right now.

Raising my head, I looked toward the horizon. And there it was.

That...thing.

Even from this distance, its presence was overwhelming. A towering, ominous figure, shrouded in smoke and shadow, stood amidst the destruction. My instincts screamed at me, every fiber of my being recognizing the danger. Whatever it was, it wasn't something that should exist in this world.

The head alone was enormous, crowned with multiple eyes that seemed to glow faintly like embers, each one radiating an unsettling, malevolent light. It had serpentine features, with long, sinuous necks extending from its body like giant vipers, each head writhing and snapping, as if seeking prey.

Its body was a grotesque mix of scales and writhing tendrils, many of which seemed to stretch and retract with unnatural speed, cracking the earth beneath it with each movement. Dark wings, like those of a bat but far larger, unfolded from its back, stretching wide enough to cast a shadow over the land.

The creature's limbs were massive, each one ending in claws that dug into the ground as it moved, shaking the very foundation of the earth. Its presence alone made the air heavy, as though the world itself recoiled from its existence. Every step it took was like an earthquake, sending shockwaves through the air.

The monster's skin was covered in scales that looked like molten rock, pulsing with dark energy. From its gaping maw, the air grew thick with heat and the smell of sulfur as fire constantly blew out of its nose. Even from where I stood, the sheer pressure it exerted made it hard to breathe. It wasn't just a monster...it was far worse.

The pressure it gives off...even from a distance, felt twice as powerful as the demon lord.

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I felt it, a second powerful presence in the distance. Not as intense as the monster, but still...significant. I knew it immediately, it was Carter. The guy who had tried to kill me a while back, but now? He couldn't touch me if he tried. It was almost a calming thought.

I turned just in time to see him land beside me as I covered myself with an armor of mana.

"What the hell is that?" Carter demanded, "I've been heading in this direction since that golden glow earlier. I was nearby for a vacation to calm down after our last little encounter. What in the fuck is that thing?!"

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"I don't know. But it looks like it's heading toward the sea. Give me a ride, you're faster than me, we need to get to the capital fast. We gotta alert the others, even that dubious Trevor."

"What if he's behind this?"

"You know something?"

"No, but he looks stupid and it's the type of shit he's into. Where are your clothes?"

"Explosion, I'll explain on the piggybag."

"I can't believe I lost to you."

"Your fault for not coming at me with full power. No time, go!"

He then carried me and jumped toward the capital as the monster headed toward the sea. We couldn't even fight that if we tried, so running away is the best method for now.

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We landed in the capital, and the sight of panic was unmistakable. The city was in chaos as people were running through the streets while soldiers were doing their best to control the flow, pushing civilians to safety. I could feel the tension in the air, but the soldiers were holding their ground, keeping the peace despite the madness.

I made us invisible with my magic to not attract any attention. We rushed toward Evan's house, making sure to stay out of sight. Once we arrived, I barely gave the door a knock before I walked straight in. The place was calm for the moment, but I wasn't sure how long that would last.

"Harper," I called, walking toward her as she appeared, "Can you still talk to Luxor?"

"Yes, I can. What's going on?" She asked as I went to ask for sleeping pills from Evan.

Evan got one and threw me a bottle, which I threw to Carter.

"Evan, give me another one. Carter, take the whole bottle. Let him sleep on the couch, no questions."

Before anyone could react, I turned back to Harper.

"Request to connect me to the other heroes. Immediately. Through their dreams. If anyone's awake, put them to sleep."

Harper didn't ask anything more, already understanding the urgency.

"Got it." She nodded as she begin to clasp her hand in a prayer.

"Also...dress me up while I'm asleep. We don't have time."

I then rushed to the bed and slowly took the pills to fall asleep. Without another word, I let the sleepiness take hold. I could already feel my mind slipping as I collapsed. I closed my eyes, ready to drift off, and just like that, I was asleep.

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"Dennis, Sarah, nice seeing you again...you too, Trevor."

"Ah, you're greeting me too? After accusing me of Heinous crimes?" Trevor replied back sarcastically, "Dennis and Sarah have been monitoring me for ages...Carter, why are you quiet? This isn't like you, you drunkard."

"Shut up." Carter grumbled, "Just listen to what Lucas have to say, it's actually serious this time."

"Ara...This really isn't like you, Carter." Jennifer said, "I assume that you've summoned us, Lucas?"

"Yeah."

Jennifer Rose had fiery red hair and piercing green eyes, and her lean, athletic frame was built for agility because she was a student-athlete. She was an offensive mage, known for her devastating area spells and crowd-control abilities.

Rika Satou had jet-black hair tied in a ponytail and sharp brown eyes. She specialized in burst-style offensive magic, great at instant massive amounts of damage in one strike.

Pedro Olivera was a tall quiet guy with short-cropped brown hair, and dark grey eyes, and a tall lean frame, even taller than Carter. He was the tank for us in the back.

Gabriela Santos had wavy dark hair, hazel eyes, and a strong, muscular build. She was an offensive vanguard, excelling in the battleaxe.

Dennis was a tank alongside Sarah on the front lines as Carter refused to take that role, Carter and Trevor were our offensive vanguards, though Trevor possessed more assassin-like skills. We're currently only missing Jacob, our archer, but he was killed by Carter and Trevor. I was about to say something, but Luxor, this world's god of light made his appearance.

He appeared to us in his original form, a humanoid figure of golden light, which he dimmed down to let us see.

"I will take over the explanation from here, Lucas." Luxor said, "What you and Carter just saw was the father of monsters, Typhon."

"...From the Greek mythology?" Pedro asked.

"Yes, he was summoned into this world, and I'm sure that Carter and Lucas have noticed, he is much stronger than the demon lord."

Shit.